Monday 27th May More Guests but more river frustration

First job of the day was to text Angela to tell her we would still be at Accolay. The bad news had come through via a skippers notice. I left Rheiner to deal with the VNF. Did not fancy their chances. Could hear him telling them he would never travel this canal again and that they were a disgrace. He came straight over to tell me what had taken place and that the vnf were sending a mediator down to see him tomorrow morning and explain why the canal must stay closed.
I set about giving the bikes a service and fitting my lovely horn whilst Collette did the ironing before popping off for a walk round the village to calm down after I had apparently overstepped the mark. Women are a constant mystery are they not.
At least it was at last a hot and sunny day. Tim had recommeded a trout farm for a lunch stop on our intended journey to Mailly La Ville. With the trip now impossible ,I determined to still get the trout. My now lovely and much appreciated wife and I set off cross country on the wheels of steel bound for Pregilbert and the trout farm. It just seemed right today.
My idea of going cross country was questionable after being forced to walk the first mile straight up a hill along a tractor track which was impossible to ride on and was pretty tough going in the sun. This however was more than compensated for by the views over the valley and the rather too hairy for Clo but very exciting descent the other side.

 When we finally got too a proper road the sign at the start of the track we had just travelled said it all.

 

The trout farm was located but of course closed for lunch til 2.30. Ange was due at 4pm so fine. I had asked Berlin Bertie if he wanted me to pick him up some trout. He did not eat meat so fish was his staple diet, but he declined on the premise that he once worked at a trout farm and disagreed with the concept of them. Seeing the teeming concrete tanks, I sort of got it and certainly respect the view

 

 however having just been on a safari and seen at first hand just how cruel nature can be, I ordered ten trout with a clear conscience. Ten because they were quite small apparently due to the inclement weather which trout quite understandably do not like. I watched them netted and counted into my yellow plastic trolly.

 

Whilst the young Frenchman prepared them for the bbq for me, we sat and enjoyed a magnum soaking up the hot sun. Lovely.
Heading back the quick route, we arrived back at Doucette at 3.30pm finding Mum asleep on one of the loungers on the poop deck. Happy as larry.
Bang on 4pm The Ritchies arrived. It had been an 8 hour journey. No toll roads deciding on the scenic route butt it was double the toll road rote time wise. They had brought our new replacement hob and grill and some more boat spares which I was glad to recieve.
Quickly settled, we had drinks on the poop catching up on each others news before the absolutely fabulous Trout were griddled on the BBQ. With new potatoes and salad and washed down with a nice bottle of Cremant, Ange and Alex questioned my reports of all the bad weather with today being so glorious. If only was the choral reply from Mum, Clo and the skipper.
It had been a great day and it was terrific to have our new guests safely installed.